The conceit of this Idillion is very delicate. Wherein it is imagined howVenusdid send for the Boar who in hunting slewAdonis, a dainty youth whom she loved: and how the Boar answering for himself that he slew him against his will, as being enamoured on him, and thinking only to kiss his naked thigh; she forgave him. The Poet's drift is to shew the power of Love, not only in men, but also in brute beasts: although in the last two verses, by the burning of the Boar's amorous teeth, he intimateth that extravagant and unorderly passions are to be restrained by reason.ADONIS.WHENVenusfirst did seeAdonisdead to be;With woeful tattered hairAnd cheeks so wan and sear,The wingèd Loves she bade,The Boar should straight be had.Forthwith like birds they fly,And through the wood they hie;The woeful beast they find,And him with cords they bind.One with a rope beforeDoth lead the captive Boar:Another on his backDoth make his bow to crack.The beast went wretchedly,ForVenushorriblyHe feared; who thus him curst:"Of all the beasts the worst,Didst thou this thigh so wound?Didst thou my Love confound?"The beast thus spake in fear"Venus, to thee I swear!By thee, and husband thine,And by these bands of mine,And by these hunters all,Thy husband fair and tall,I mindèd not to kill!But, as an image still,I him beheld for love:Which made me forward shoveHis thigh, that naked was;Thinking to kiss, alas,And that hath hurt me thus."Wherefore these teeth,Venus!Or punish, or cut out:Why bear I in my snoutThese needless teeth about!If these may not suffice;Cut off my chaps likewise!"To ruth heVenusmoves,And she commands the Loves,His bands for to untie.After he came not nighThe wood; but at her willHe followedVenusstill.And coming to the fire,He burnt up his desire.Emblem.Raris forma viris, secula prospice,Impunita fuit.FINIS.
The conceit of this Idillion is very delicate. Wherein it is imagined howVenusdid send for the Boar who in hunting slewAdonis, a dainty youth whom she loved: and how the Boar answering for himself that he slew him against his will, as being enamoured on him, and thinking only to kiss his naked thigh; she forgave him. The Poet's drift is to shew the power of Love, not only in men, but also in brute beasts: although in the last two verses, by the burning of the Boar's amorous teeth, he intimateth that extravagant and unorderly passions are to be restrained by reason.
The conceit of this Idillion is very delicate. Wherein it is imagined howVenusdid send for the Boar who in hunting slewAdonis, a dainty youth whom she loved: and how the Boar answering for himself that he slew him against his will, as being enamoured on him, and thinking only to kiss his naked thigh; she forgave him. The Poet's drift is to shew the power of Love, not only in men, but also in brute beasts: although in the last two verses, by the burning of the Boar's amorous teeth, he intimateth that extravagant and unorderly passions are to be restrained by reason.
The conceit of this Idillion is very delicate. Wherein it is imagined howVenusdid send for the Boar who in hunting slewAdonis, a dainty youth whom she loved: and how the Boar answering for himself that he slew him against his will, as being enamoured on him, and thinking only to kiss his naked thigh; she forgave him. The Poet's drift is to shew the power of Love, not only in men, but also in brute beasts: although in the last two verses, by the burning of the Boar's amorous teeth, he intimateth that extravagant and unorderly passions are to be restrained by reason.
WHENVenusfirst did seeAdonisdead to be;With woeful tattered hairAnd cheeks so wan and sear,The wingèd Loves she bade,The Boar should straight be had.Forthwith like birds they fly,And through the wood they hie;The woeful beast they find,And him with cords they bind.One with a rope beforeDoth lead the captive Boar:Another on his backDoth make his bow to crack.The beast went wretchedly,ForVenushorriblyHe feared; who thus him curst:"Of all the beasts the worst,Didst thou this thigh so wound?Didst thou my Love confound?"The beast thus spake in fear"Venus, to thee I swear!By thee, and husband thine,And by these bands of mine,And by these hunters all,Thy husband fair and tall,I mindèd not to kill!But, as an image still,I him beheld for love:Which made me forward shoveHis thigh, that naked was;Thinking to kiss, alas,And that hath hurt me thus."Wherefore these teeth,Venus!Or punish, or cut out:Why bear I in my snoutThese needless teeth about!If these may not suffice;Cut off my chaps likewise!"To ruth heVenusmoves,And she commands the Loves,His bands for to untie.After he came not nighThe wood; but at her willHe followedVenusstill.And coming to the fire,He burnt up his desire.
WHENVenusfirst did seeAdonisdead to be;With woeful tattered hairAnd cheeks so wan and sear,The wingèd Loves she bade,The Boar should straight be had.Forthwith like birds they fly,And through the wood they hie;The woeful beast they find,And him with cords they bind.One with a rope beforeDoth lead the captive Boar:Another on his backDoth make his bow to crack.The beast went wretchedly,ForVenushorriblyHe feared; who thus him curst:"Of all the beasts the worst,Didst thou this thigh so wound?Didst thou my Love confound?"The beast thus spake in fear"Venus, to thee I swear!By thee, and husband thine,And by these bands of mine,And by these hunters all,Thy husband fair and tall,I mindèd not to kill!But, as an image still,I him beheld for love:Which made me forward shoveHis thigh, that naked was;Thinking to kiss, alas,And that hath hurt me thus."Wherefore these teeth,Venus!Or punish, or cut out:Why bear I in my snoutThese needless teeth about!If these may not suffice;Cut off my chaps likewise!"To ruth heVenusmoves,And she commands the Loves,His bands for to untie.After he came not nighThe wood; but at her willHe followedVenusstill.And coming to the fire,He burnt up his desire.
WHENVenusfirst did seeAdonisdead to be;With woeful tattered hairAnd cheeks so wan and sear,The wingèd Loves she bade,The Boar should straight be had.Forthwith like birds they fly,And through the wood they hie;The woeful beast they find,And him with cords they bind.One with a rope beforeDoth lead the captive Boar:Another on his backDoth make his bow to crack.The beast went wretchedly,ForVenushorriblyHe feared; who thus him curst:"Of all the beasts the worst,Didst thou this thigh so wound?Didst thou my Love confound?"The beast thus spake in fear"Venus, to thee I swear!By thee, and husband thine,And by these bands of mine,And by these hunters all,Thy husband fair and tall,I mindèd not to kill!But, as an image still,I him beheld for love:Which made me forward shoveHis thigh, that naked was;Thinking to kiss, alas,And that hath hurt me thus."Wherefore these teeth,Venus!Or punish, or cut out:Why bear I in my snoutThese needless teeth about!If these may not suffice;Cut off my chaps likewise!"To ruth heVenusmoves,And she commands the Loves,His bands for to untie.After he came not nighThe wood; but at her willHe followedVenusstill.And coming to the fire,He burnt up his desire.
WHENVenusfirst did seeAdonisdead to be;With woeful tattered hairAnd cheeks so wan and sear,The wingèd Loves she bade,The Boar should straight be had.Forthwith like birds they fly,And through the wood they hie;The woeful beast they find,And him with cords they bind.One with a rope beforeDoth lead the captive Boar:Another on his backDoth make his bow to crack.The beast went wretchedly,ForVenushorriblyHe feared; who thus him curst:"Of all the beasts the worst,Didst thou this thigh so wound?Didst thou my Love confound?"The beast thus spake in fear"Venus, to thee I swear!By thee, and husband thine,And by these bands of mine,And by these hunters all,Thy husband fair and tall,I mindèd not to kill!But, as an image still,I him beheld for love:Which made me forward shoveHis thigh, that naked was;Thinking to kiss, alas,And that hath hurt me thus."Wherefore these teeth,Venus!Or punish, or cut out:Why bear I in my snoutThese needless teeth about!If these may not suffice;Cut off my chaps likewise!"To ruth heVenusmoves,And she commands the Loves,His bands for to untie.After he came not nighThe wood; but at her willHe followedVenusstill.And coming to the fire,He burnt up his desire.
WHENVenusfirst did seeAdonisdead to be;With woeful tattered hairAnd cheeks so wan and sear,The wingèd Loves she bade,The Boar should straight be had.Forthwith like birds they fly,And through the wood they hie;The woeful beast they find,And him with cords they bind.One with a rope beforeDoth lead the captive Boar:Another on his backDoth make his bow to crack.The beast went wretchedly,ForVenushorriblyHe feared; who thus him curst:"Of all the beasts the worst,Didst thou this thigh so wound?Didst thou my Love confound?"The beast thus spake in fear"Venus, to thee I swear!By thee, and husband thine,And by these bands of mine,And by these hunters all,Thy husband fair and tall,I mindèd not to kill!But, as an image still,I him beheld for love:Which made me forward shoveHis thigh, that naked was;Thinking to kiss, alas,And that hath hurt me thus."Wherefore these teeth,Venus!Or punish, or cut out:Why bear I in my snoutThese needless teeth about!If these may not suffice;Cut off my chaps likewise!"To ruth heVenusmoves,And she commands the Loves,His bands for to untie.After he came not nighThe wood; but at her willHe followedVenusstill.And coming to the fire,He burnt up his desire.
Emblem.Raris forma viris, secula prospice,Impunita fuit.
FINIS.